I have always enjoyed my children during the holidays. Their excitement and joy just brought a whole new perspective to the meaning of each holiday. When my kiddos were small they loved doing some special activities that I would love to share with you today.

I think our favorite activity is seeing Christmas lights together. We all pack into our van and off we go on an adventure. To make the evening even better, I would do a little planning ahead of time. I had some printable “train tickets” ready for them. At each stop, I would ask for their tickets so I could stamp them. They would giggle each time they handed them to me. It was so much fun.

After we finished looking at lights, we would come home and have a big cup of hot chocolate and yummy Christmas cookies. We usually put a Christmas movie in the dvd player, and cuddle under a blanket on the couch. One of our favorites is The Polar Express.

We love arts and crafts, so we must do a few here and there over Christmas break. One of my favorites, that we put on the wall each year, is our cardboard stockings. They were so much fun to make and are a fun decoration.

This is not an expensive craft. I am sure everything can be bought at your local dollar store. Here is a list of items you will need:

-White poster board

-Glitter glue

-Foam stickers

-Markers

-Scissors

Before you let your kids take over, you will need to do a little prep. I am not an artist, but it was easy to draw the shape of a stocking onto the poster board. We got three stockings from one large poster board. Depending on the age of your youngster, you can either have them cut out the stocking or you can do it for them ahead of time. After that is done, the fun begins. Let them go wild! Allow them to decorate the stocking however they wish.

Another great activity to do during Christmas is putting together a gingerbread house and decorating it. The kids will eat this up and I mean literally. This one is fun for the entire family. We usually purchase pre-made gingerbread kits and then buy some extra candies and decorations to make it our own. After we are done, we display it proudly on our kitchen table.

My final suggestion for a family fun filled holiday is giving as a family. Each year we go out and shop for the less fortunate in our community. Can you imagine not waking up on Christmas morning with a few presents under the tree? There are many families who just cannot afford to buy gifts for their children. We enjoy hopping in the van and buying gifts for kiddos who will absolutely love anything they receive. Our kids are all ages, so they know what the children their age will like. As we shop, we talk about the little faces of the boys and girls who will be opening the gifts. This teaches our kiddos about the real meaning of Christmas. They see it’s the giving not just the receiving that makes Christmas special. It’s the attitude of goodwill towards man. I think it is very important to pass down these values to our sons and daughters.

I hope you have a blessed holiday season! Have fun with your family and don’t fret the small stuff!

About the Author:

My name is Betty Daley. I have been married to my highschool sweetheart for 23 years. We have six beautiful children. Three of them are grown and on their own, while the other three are still at home with us. We have homeschooled for over 19 years and we love it! Our family loves the Lord and wants to serve Him in all we do and say.

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Hi, I'm Amanda!

I’m passionate about giving you resources to help you home educate your youngest learners…stress-free. I’m here to inspire you to learn from mistakes, chase those dreams, and educate your children the way YOU want.